Royals: 10, Rays: 2, - Zilla Tune Up & Quiet Bats

After getting back on track against the Royals for the past two games, the 16-8 Tampa Bay Rays would look to complete the sweep of the Royals in tune up start for re-instated Blake Snell.

Kansas City Royals would send out Jacob Junis, who is very Chris Archer-eqsue with mainly a FB/Slider combo, and no real 3rd pitch. Snell would get through the 1st inning, working around a couple of singles by Alex Gordon and Jorge Soler to get out of the inning unscathed and only 11 pitches.

Rays would open up the scoring in the 1st inning with a Joey Wendle double to score Brandon Lowe, and give the Rays a quick 1-0 lead.

Rays have outscored their opponents 25-4 in the 1st inning.

Lead would be short lasted, as the Rays would concede a run on a rushed throw by Daniel Robertson to try and nab Billy Hamilton, but threw it over the First Baseman Brandon Lowe’s head and Ryan O’Hearn scored to tie the game at 1, and put Terrance Gore on third base, and Hamilton on first with only 1 out. But the Rays would get out of it. How you say? Your typical DOUBLE TOOTBLAN.

Don’t know what a TOOTBLAN is? Our own Ashley MacLennan explains:

Check (and like/subscribe) out her Channel: 90 Feet From Home.

Royals quickly gain the lead in the 3rd inning on a Whit Merrifield HR, as he blasted a Blake Snell curveball that was flat, and caught too much of the plate.

Rays would sprinkle a couple of singles by Tommy Pham and Joey Wendle in the bottom of the 2nd inning, but couldn’t produce anything. That would be pretty much it for the Rays offense, as they struggle to put any baserunners on throughout the whole game.

Snell would leave the game after 65 pitches. 3.1 IP 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, and 3 Ks. Not terrible for what essentially is a Rehab Start.

Ryan Yarborough would take over for Snell, and have a not so great day as the Royals would pile on the runs and hits, starting with this bunt single.

Another bunt single would put two runners on with 1 out and slugger Billy Hamilton up to the plate who would double home a run.

Yarby would intentionally walk Whit Merrifield to load the bases, and the Rays turn another clutch double play to keep the Rays within reach.

Royals answered in the 6th inning with an RBI triple by Hamilton, and followed by a Aldaberto Mondesi 3 run HR off of a Yarborough curveball.

A sac fly by Kansas City in the top of the 7th inning would make it 9-1 Royals, and It would stay like that until the Rays finally were able to put a little something together in the bottom of the 7th inning. Lowe, Pham, and Diaz would have back to back to back singles and score....1 run. 9-2 Royals. Only 2 grand slams away from winning!

Except the Royals would ruin my double grand slam walk-off dreams and score another run in the 8th inning off a Adalberto Mondesi single to make it 10-2 Rays.

Ryan Yarborough would help the bullpen rest, and go 4.1 IP, 8H, 7 ER, 2 BB, and 2 Ks. Yikes.

So just to recap in the recap:

• Yarby has a terrible outing
• Rays give up most runs this year...to the Royals
• Offense looks definitely not good

At least it can’t get any wor...

Poor Joey. Typically it is a 8 to 12 week recovery.

Chaz Roe & Wilmer Font would finish off the game and together work 1.1 IP with 1 H, 1 BB, and 2 Ks.

Score would stay the same throughout the 9th as the Rays did put runners on in the 8th but couldn’t capitalize.

FINAL: Kansas City Royals: 10, Tampa Bay Rays: 2.

Rays head into an off/travel day tomorrow as they head to Boston for their 1st Series in Fenway Park. Tampa Bay will have Charlie Morton on the mound. 1st pitch is at 7:10 PM EST.